Built of cob in the late 1870s by James Keeffe for his wife Bridget and family, this solidly constructed home with thick, insulating walls remains remarkably intact. Placed on a river terrace of the Opihi River close to the main approach to Burke's Pass township, the cottage has seen a constant flow of travellers to and from the MacKenzie Basin and been host to many in its time.
Bought in 1985 and now owned and lovingly cared for by a Christchurch couple who spend as much of their time there as they can, Alma Cottage has been faithfully restored and furnished to maintain the integrity of this fine example of an early settler's cob cottage: its walls constructed from a mixture of clay, tussock and cow dung.